Monday, 31 May 2010

This is Ben on his CCM 'Euro Trash' taking the hideously bumpy turn 3. Yes, the marshal is watching the action, but Ben jumped in and made his debut at the fastest and most fearsome track in the UK, a track that chewed up Steve von Red Max and spat him back out with a broken collarbone. Viva Ben, get well soon, Steve.Thanks to Russell Ramone. See more at his Amman Valley flickr page.

No embarrassing 'action' photos have yet surfaced in the media, but here are a few statics of the CCM complete. A heinous creature at this stage before it goes for a full sex change when time and funds permit, but it does go and it is fun. As GI has pointed out, the arse in the sky back-end is probably more just a matter of modifying the rear sub-frame rather than the need for any radical suspension changes. No modifications to the machine will make it faster, only my ball size is holding me back. Thanks to all those who held my hand at Ammanford. BP NB above photo is a deceptive as there is a tie-down inbetween axle and handlebar, squashing the front end to get it in the car

After a week of barbecue weather in Britain, Friday saw heavy rain. The internationals had already set up camp in the paddock, and the valley sky was looking foreboding for Saturday. The track surface at Amman is unique, and although having been built on a slag heap was not draining enough. Officials had the hard decision of wether to cancel all of Saturdays fixtures as some areas were boggy and they didn't want the surface destroyed for Sunday's racing that was forecast as sunny. Finally we got an 'OK' and the valiant donned kagols and zip-tied mudguard to their bikes. No stopping the Dutch-Brothers. Even though the whole team had the most trick fresh paint jobs, they weren't afraid to get down and dirty.Sunday was a sun day, glorious even. Everyone was flying (except me who was quietly but happily wetting my knickers at the back of the pack for my first ever race). Some sensational battles, particularly the final won by Marco on the now TM engined Ouroboros. BP

Sideburn 5's cover star, Jake Johnson, won the first Springfield Mile of the year. Bryan's Smith's Kawasaki came in second, Coolbeth third, then Mees followed by Kopp on the Ducati. Sideburn favourites Sammy Halbert and Chris Carr were 7th and 8th.Bonneville Performance's Shawn Baer made the main but DNF'd. GIPhoto: Poppa Wheelie (from Yavapai, not Springfield)

If you can't make it to Amman Valley this weekend you could always settle for the Springfield Mile and TT race. Only joking, it's going to be great. So many class racers, so many manufacturers making the main.Sammy Halbert sent this update out.

'Jethro, myself and Robbie Pearson are going to attend a Springfield Mile post party meet and greet at Chasers Iron Horse saloon after the Mile on Sunday, so come on out and help us celebrate!'

Well, he's not lacking in confidence is he? Below is an interview with Sammy and Jethro Halbert.Also, Chris Carr will be selling Sideburn magazines on his stall in the pits.

Thursday, 27 May 2010

Now I’m no fan of physical exertion, that’s why motorcycles are better than bicycles, right?Racing flat track requires a level of fitness which I do not currently posses. To rectify this I tried using the wife’s treadmill. BORING. What about fell running? Surely this would add a bit of excitement to exercise? Unfortunately I live in Leicestershire, which is rather flat, utterly hill-less. Undetermined I decided to modify the treadmill by gluing some rocks to the belt with what you might call, mixed results. I should point out that although a level of excitement was achieved, the healing process kind of negates any fitness benefits. But none of this matters now, I’m so excited about this amazing new product because fitness can be achieved whilst in convalesce. This bloke I know spends most of his time in the pub, but when he’s not drinking, he’s at work, at NASA. We got talking about my need to get fit and that’s when he suggested that I buy this special spaceman food he got from work. It’s expensive, but so is going to a gym.Already this morning I’ve managed a triathlon and because I wasn’t tired, I followed this lot up with badminton. How fantastic is this?I reckon within a few weeks I’ll be super fit, I wonder if I could manage a decathlon?Jason

No show pony. Lee Peck of the extended CoBuilt clan, has done an amazing job making up one-off axles in EN24T steel + one-off ali spacers and external over-size bearing carriers for my BMW snowflake wheels. Followed by a one-off stem to mate Yamaha R6 Forks to Anthony designed Mk2 CoBuilt yokes. And all at a lightning turn-around of just 3 days. Lanyard will be fitted tomorrow, and cast-off tyres from GI trackside in Wales. Ride 'em cowboy. BP

See Europe’s best flat trackers battle on the super high-speed half mile oval. Saturday night racing commences at 7pm with highlight being the brutal Harleys in the All-American Twin Class. Sunday racing commences at 1pm. See the biggest entry ever for a European short track race compete in over 20 heats

Adults £10 per day or £18 for weekend including camping. OAPS £8 per day or £14 for the weekend, Children (12 to 15) £3 per day or £5 for weekend, Under-12s go free.Competitors from America, Switzerland, Holland, Germany, Italy, England and Wales.

THE CUSTOM SHOWBritain’s best street trackers and vintage flat track race bikes on display. Racers' Choice Prize donated by Davida. Prizes for best in show, best budget bike, best engineering and best paint donated by Sideburn magazine and Red Max Speed Shop. PLUSBarFoodCampingDealer stalls

Wednesday, 26 May 2010

Sick to the back teeth of take-away pizza flyers, UPVC double glazing folders, born-again carpet cleaner's cards etc etc? Cut a grove with a Dremel on the inside bottom edge of the box flap. Stick in a 2P piece. Enjoy a litter-free doormat. NB. this does rely on your postie delivering at the same time every day (preferably first thing in the morning), so you can take it out beforehand, and still get legit post (popping it back in before you go off to work). BP Mad maybe. Happy, definitely. Genius, most certainly.

Tuesday, 25 May 2010

Well, don't it look pretty? EBC brake discs on, R6 brake caliper on, KTM footpegs on, CRF450 master cylinder on, new rocker box on, YZ450 rear master cylinder on... Carl at CFM has done the business.Hagon are supplying new shocks and Death Spray Custom is magicking up a storm in the House of Kolor. It won't be ready for the Amman show, but it will be ready for Sideburn 6. GI

Monday, 24 May 2010

New T-shirt arrived today, it's of a generic racebike, absolutely not based on any motorcycle we've ever seen before and plucked from the imagination of long-time Sideburn collaborator Chris WatsonPrinted in England on premium Gildan heavyweight. The sizes are large compared to many Euro brands. The small is 18in/ 46cm from armpit to armpit. We has S-XXL plus some medium lady. This one is white only. Limited edition as usual.UK £18Europe €25USA $35Rest of World £25All prices including post and packing.Paypal to dirt at sideburnmagazine.com

Fear not Sideburn magazine will not become some la-di-da fashion rag, but we would like to do some 'fashion' shoots. Aiming for slightly more practical outfits than shown here. Do you have a leather boot fetish? Is your cupboard full of old bike jackets? Do you have a thing for vintage T-shirts? We are looking for a stylist for photo shoots. You don't have to be motorcyclist. BP Email me via the contact shown over on the lower righthand sidephoto: Ben Part; styling: Katelijn Verbruggen; make-up: Ed Tijsen; model: Tabara

The race is on. In the time it takes me to fanny about deciding which colour handgrips I want, CoBuilt will build Geoffs framer from scratch. It's the 4th complete bike they've built. The blue-print gets a little tweak each time with up-graded crafty detailing. The raw metal frame shown here (with a dummy engine) will be ready in time for next weekends race at Amman valley. BP

Sunday, 23 May 2010

Becoming a Dad means certain compromises to the former rock'n'roll lifestyle. But sometimes Mummy and the kids have to compromise too; like having the seats ripped out of their car so Daddy can pretend it's a Transit van. When we bought our Citroën Berlingo Pope-mobile, although it's only moderately sized, I always figured you could squeeze a motorcycle in the back. Simply remove the back seats with a Torx spanner. Nothing was removed from the bike, but I did compress the front forks with nylon cam-lock tie-down inbetween the handlebars and front axle - the wheel can still turn so you can run it up the ramp. It's a proper Tardis. BP

Like not so many before me, I was honored to gain access to Anthony's lair yesterday. But not only that, after a few further secret handshakes, I was introduced to other members of the CoBuilt ring who all have their part to play in completing the jigsaw of trackerizing my CCM. I'd bought Jake Bowie along as technical translator, so that when they started speaking in tongues, he could explain using simple words, and finger paintings.When the machinist who is making your wheel spindles also makes machine guns for Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, it's probably better not to argue over the price.To complete the induction, Anthony also recommended that we go introduce ourselves to Cecile as she just so happens to live in the next village to Jake. A retired lady motorhead. When we rolled up unannounced in matching sombreros, she was cleaning her Norton 500T with a toothbrush in the garden and immediately offered us tea. It was the bike she learnt to ride on and had obviously seen action in a few wars.In conversation I mentioned that I was looking for a British peanut tank (ideally a Norton HiRider/SS), whereupon her son dug out a 1967 Sprite trails tank from their Aladdin's cave of side-car oddities. The top-rail tunnel is way to narrow for the square section oil-in-frame of the CCM but the external shape and size is perfect. And so here's to yet more modification. BP

FLYMOIt all began with a tin of cat food, an empty coffee tin and a hairdryer. When air was forced between the two tins, the ensemble began to float on its own little cushion of air. Thus, through a combination of eccentricity and genius, Sir Christopher Cockerell invented the hovercraft, in a shed, in a boatyard, in Norfolk. For years afterwards, the invention was kept top secret, as the government wanted to explore its military potential. But on 11 June 1959, the SRN-1 was finally unveiled to the world's press, at the Saunders Roe boatyard at Cowes on the Isle of Wight.One spin-off of Sir Christopher Cockerell's invention has been the hover mower. Like its counterpart, it works on the principle of a cushion of air. The leading brand, Flymo, has a 40% share of the British lawnmower market. But although gardeners in the UK have adopted the hover technology in their millions, very few of the mowers are exported. Brian Milligan for the BBCBP